A new film called Beautiful Boy starring Steve Carell and Timothée Chalamet follows a young man’s struggle with methamphetamine addiction as seen through the eyes of his father. Based on real-life memoirs written by David and Nic Sheff who are played by Carell and Chalamet respectively, the movie focuses on the strained relationship between a father and his teenage son as they both cope with survival, relapse, and recovery surrounding meth addiction.
An Accurate Inside Look at Meth Addiction
Film critics and reviewers who have seen Beautiful Boy say that the film accurately depicts the real struggles of those coping with meth addiction. Unlike other drug films where addiction is triggered by major traumas, Beautiful Boy shows that nearly anyone can get caught up in addiction — including those who have seemingly perfect lives. David’s son Nic loves to read, write, draw, and surf, but he is powerfully drawn to the way meth makes him feel, which is why he ultimately becomes addicted to the drug.
Throughout the movie, Nic suffers physical and moral deterioration due to his meth use and pops in and out of rehab as he struggles to maintain good grades in college. The film offers a detailed glimpse into the cycle of recovery and relapse as well as shows how addiction can change a person’s brain and make them expert at manipulating and lying so they can get their next fix. The drama film was released in theaters on October 12, 2018, and it is based on the memoirs written by a father and son entitled Beautiful Boy: A Father’s Journey Through His Son’s Addiction and Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines.
How Is Meth Addiction Treated at Drug Rehab?
Methamphetamine is a powerfully addictive stimulant that caused 10,721 overdose deaths in the United States in 2017. This drug speeds up the central nervous system and changes brain chemistry to produce euphoria, delusions, aggression, increased energy, wakefulness, and self-confidence. People who become dependent on meth and who abruptly stop using this drug will usually experience withdrawal symptoms, including fatigue, anxiety, severe depression, intense drug cravings, and psychosis.
When left untreated, meth addiction can lead to serious complications, such as heart problems, seizures, and death. Meth addiction is usually treated at drug rehab using behavioral therapies that help people recognize, avoid, and cope with situations that normally lead to drug use. Since meth does not often cause physical withdrawal symptoms like nausea and vomiting, people in recovery from meth addiction rarely require drug detox at a drug and alcohol detox center.
Finding Help for Meth Addiction
As portrayed in Beautiful Boy, meth addiction is highly difficult to overcome without professional help. Drug rehab and aftercare programs are critical in helping people recover from meth addiction and achieve long-term abstinence since strong drug cravings for meth often lead to numerous cycles of recovery and relapse.
